Notice to Proceed sparks intermodal discussion

The ink on BNSF’s highly anticipated Notice to Proceed barely dry, Edgerton City Council members reviewed the intermodal project’s immediate future on Thursday.

A memo from City Administrator David Dillner laid out in detail the project’s five stages but focused on the first stage, which deals with wastewater and other improvements (see related story in next Wednesday’s edition).
According to the three-party contract signed by the city, BNSF and the Allen Group, the city must commence with the design and construction of wastewater improvements upon receipt of BNSF’s monetary contribution to Stage I. That must occur within 15 days of the Notice to Proceed being issued. BNSF issued the NTP on Friday, Nov. 19.

Other Stage I improvements include the construction of a quiet zone along Nelson Street in Edgerton. According to Dillner’s memo, design and construction must commence “no later than 60 days after the receipt of written notice from (the Allen Group) that there are signed leases or building permit requests for construction of … 350,000 square feet by (the Allen Group).”

Patrick Robinson of the Allen Group did not immediately return calls seeking comment.

The city currently is soliciting requests for both quiet zone proposals and a team to design and construct wastewater improvements, Dillner told the council.

In addition to the aforementioned projects, Dillner said the city plans to close portions of 183rd Street and Four Corners Road for those projects, but that the city plans to conduct public hearings on the closure. The city has not yet determined when these public hearings will take place.

Contractors T.J. Lambrecht Construction and Walsh Construction have been awarded a joint contract to build the intermodal facility and logistics park. BNSF made that announcement at a press conference last month at Johnson County Community College.

In other business, the council:

• discussed possible updates to the city’s Comprehensive Plan with Planning Consultant Roger Kroh. Potential updates to the plan include the city’s adoption of design guidelines for both commercial and residential properties, the city’s adoption of a minimum infrastructure ordinance to ensure development coincides with sewer and road upgrades, and the city’s initiation of a bike and pedestrian trail plan that would eventually connect with the county’s trail system.

• discussed a merger proposal for Rural Water District 7 with Johnson County 7, which would reduce the monthly minimum from $25.28 to $17.70 – a savings of $7.58 per month per single family household. According to the proposal, customers would be billed by Johnson County 7, and it would receive customer inquiries, payments and billing issues.

• discussed the Interstate 35 Southwest Johnson County Interchange

Edgerton council members discussed a draft layout, pictured above, for the Homestead Lane/I-35 interchange during a meeting Nov. 18. The diverging diamond layout would be a first of its kind in Kansas. Rendering courtesy of city of Edgerton

Project. According to the Kansas Department of Transportation, the Homestead Lane location for the new I-35 interchange will include a diverging diamond interchange configuration. KDOT representatives have said they believe this interchange configuration will be able to handle the volume of traffic that the intermodal development is expected to bring. According to KDOT, a diverging diamond interchange design would allow the best access for left turns both on and off the interstate; if implemented, it would be the first of its kind in the state.

I can hear the poo pooing by those who want this mess in order to make their millions or billions and you should know these people have no conscience and will tell you whatever they want you to hear and only that message.

They can have all of the public hearings, mergers, committees, dog and pony shows, diamond interchanges or whatever to get their way while they live in a high rise somewhere or a country estate but you, the citizen, will be living with this mess day in and day out and you should know by now who to thank for it.

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